1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a contact determination processing apparatus that detects contact of an occupant in a vehicle with a predetermined member of and inside the vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2014-190856 discloses a steering wheel release detecting apparatus (contact determination processing apparatus) that detects a release event in which an occupant releases his or her hold of a steering wheel of a vehicle. This contact determination processing apparatus includes a sensor electrode (contact sensor) disposed in the steering wheel of the vehicle, and detects a voltage (output) that depends on a capacitance of the sensor electrode. When the voltage exceeds a threshold, the apparatus determines that the occupant grips the steering wheel. When the voltage is less than or equal to the threshold, the apparatus determines that the occupant does not grip the steering wheel.
In such a kind of contact determination processing apparatus, an output of the contact sensor may vary depending on the ambient temperature of a detection target portion. Examples of the detection target portion include a steering wheel. For example, a low ambient temperature of the steering wheel may cause deformation of a laminated structure of the steering wheel (for example, formation of a gap between a shrinkable material and an unshrinkable material), resulting in a reduction in capacitance of the contact sensor. Unfortunately, this reduces the accuracy of contact detection by the contact sensor.